Connector



April 17, 1962 B. E. OLSSON CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 3l, 1959 rrozA/es 3,030,603 CONNECTOR Billy E. Olsson, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Maleo Manu-V The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, in particular, to an electrical female connector that is adapted to detachably grip a male connector.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electrical connector for detachably holding a blade type male connector.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electrical female connector adapted to receive and detachably retain one of several differentsized spade type connectors. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which maintains high contact pressure over a large contact area of a blade of the like connector.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an electrical connector a new and improved gripping means for producing a unique gripping force that oifers a higher retentive force than obtained in existing or prior art connectors.

It is a further object in accordance with the previous object to provide a. new and improved gripping means that detachably secures one of several diferent-sized blade type connectors to the female connector.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved female connector wherein progressively greater clamping or gripping action is developed during mating of a spade type connector with the female connector.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in an electrical female connector new and improved overhanging resilient members that coact with a blade type connector in such a manner as to provide Ia progressively greater gripping force on the blade at points progressively further located frorn the blade-receiving end of the female connector.

The above and other objects of the present invention are realized by providing a new and improved electrical female connector that is adapted to receive and detachably grip a male connector, e.g., a blade type connector. The male and female connectors yare respectively connected to electrical leads, for example, conductors, and when the connectors are detachably secured together a good electrical connection is obtained between the conductors. The female connector embodies a iloor having a pair of overhanging resilient members extending from its sides. The blade connector is insertable between the oor and the ends of the overh-anging spring members `and is resiliently gripped or clamped to the female connector by the coaction of its resilient members and the oor.

In one aspect of the present invention, the female connector is so constructed that one of several differentsized blade connectors is able to mate with the female connector with a minimum of connective force, yet is resiliently gripped in its mated position by the high retentive power `of the lfemale connector. In another -aspect of the present invention, the overhanging resilient members are so constructed that a progressively greater clamping or gripping force is applied to the blade connector at points progressively further located from the bl-ade-receiving end of the connector.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the fol- 3,030,603 Patented Apr. 17, 1932 lowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a female connector embodying the features of the present invention, illustrated in posi-tion to receive a male connector, shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary and elevational view of the female connector of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the female connector of FIG. 1; l

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary -sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the mating position of the male and female connector; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5. p

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. l, an electrical connector embodying the features of the prese-nt invention is illustrated and is generally identified by reference numeral 10. The connector 10 includes -a crimping section 12 secured to the end of a conductor 13 and, also, a connector-receiving section 14 for receiving a blade 16 of a blade type connector 18 shown fragmentarily. The left end of the blade-receiving section 14 is open to `accommodate the blade 16 and is identified by reference numeral 15. The left end of the blade connector 13, although not shown, is connected to Ian electrical lead, for example a conductor, similar to conductor 13, or an electrical lead of an electrical component. A beveled leading edge 19 of the blade type connector 18 is easily insertable into the female connector 1li, which is so constructed that both a good mechanical and solderless electrical connection is effected between the conductor 13 and the conductor (not shown). As described hereinafter, the connectors 10 and 18 can be readily connected and disconnected by the simple expedient of moving the connectors 1% and 18 toward and away from one another.

The connector lil is susceptible to mass production by automatic machinery and is conveniently formed by shaping a sheet metal blank or strip of a suitable electrically conductive material such as brass, bronze, or other alloy in consecutive deforming steps. The metal is sufficiently hard and resilient to impart to the connector-receiving section 14 a spring-like character, yet is sufliciently malleable to permit cold forging or crimping of the section 12 about the end of the conductor 13.

Althoughthe crimping portion 12 comprises no part `of the present invention, it includes a pair of large cylindrical flanges 20 and 22 crimped about the insulation 214 of the conductor 13 and a pairl of somewhat smaller cylindrical flanges 26 and y28 crimped about the stripped end 30 of the conductor 13. In addition to the clamping action afforded by the anges 20, 22, 26 and 28, the small flanges 26 and 28 are deformed to form a wedgeshaped peak 32 on the top of the flanges 26 and 28 and a vertically-aligned recess (not shown) at the bottom of the anges 26 and 28. By employing this peak and recess construction, the flanges 26 and 28 are positively interlocked with the stripped end 30 of the conductor 13.

Referring now to the connector-receiving section 14, attention is directed to FIGS. l, 2 and 4 in particular. As shown, the connector-receiving section 14 includes a rigid floor y40 which is substantially, although not perfectly, in rectangular shape. The extreme left end of the floor comprises the lower part of the open end 1S and is right-angularly related to the longitudinally extending sides of the floor 40. In fact, the right portion 40h of the lloor 40 adjacent the crimping section is generally triangular, whereby its longitudinally extending sides converge and form a generally apejted right end. Along the apexed right end of the floor 40 is provided a pair of upstanding walls 42 which impart rigidity to the connector and serve to integrally interconnect the franges 26,l Z8 and a pair of overhanging resilient members or spring arms 44 extending'upwardly along the longitudinal sides of the floor 40.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the generally rectangular floor 40 includes an elevated and inclined cont-act portion 46 which is similar is conliguration to the iioor 40. The elevated and inclined portion 46 is symmetrically located with respect to the viioor 40 and at substantially all points is equidistantly spaced from the longitudinal and converging sides of the iloor 40. As seen best in FIGS. 3 and'5, the contact portion 46 is flat andY inclines upwardly and rearwardly (to the right as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5). `It is elevated in the sense that every point on the contact portion is spaced above the flat, generally horizontal door portion 48. As shown, the oor portion 48 is VU-shaped and, thus, defines a generally U-shaped wall 50 (see FIG'. 4) between the inclined contact portion 46 and the horizontal oor portion 48. The wail 50 is also inclined Vand becomes progressively higher'at points progressively further spaced fromthe open end 15. More 'speciiically, as shown best in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, the forward (or left) end 46a of the inclined portion 46 is slightly elevated with respect to the planar door portion 48 while the rearward end of the inclined portion 46 is appreciably elevated'with respect to the horizontal floor portion 48. As indicated only in FIG. 3, the contact portion -46 is inclined relative to the horizontal tloor portion 48 by an angle epsilon which, in a connector built in accordance with the present invention, is equal to approximately two degrees. It will be appreciated that the inclined contact portion 46 is adapted to coact with the generally flat under surface 16a of the connector blade 16 and, although the inclined contact portion 46 is not as wide as the connector blade 16, a large area of the under surface 16a of the blade 16 coacts with the inclined contact portion 46. Further, as described in detail hereinafter, this large area of the blade 16 is urged downwardly by the resilient arms 44 to make good electrical contact with the contact portion 46.

Considering now the overhanging spring arms 44 in .greater detail, attention is specilically directed to FIGS. l, 2, 3 and 4. As illustrated, the overhanging spring arms 44 extend upwardly and then curl inwardly and downwardly toward Vthe iioor -40 and toward one another. The ends 54 of the arms 44 are spaced apart from one another and are spaced from the oor `40 so as to extend longitudinally above the inclined floor portion, as seen in FIG. 3. As indicated in greater detail hereinafter, the ends 54 are spaced from the inclined portion 46 by a distance which is less than the thickness of the blade 16 of the blade connector 18. Accordingly, during insertion of the blade 16 into the connector-receiving section 14, the ends 54 of the spring arms 44 coact with and are cammedl upwardly by the upper surfacelb of the blade 16. Of course, after withdrawal of the blade 16 from the connector 10, the overhanging spring arms 44 are Y VAreturned to their undeected position, as seen in FIG. 3.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the overhanging spring arms 44 oder a progressively greater gripping force to the inserted connector blade 16 at points progressively farther located from the open end of the connector 10. To thisy end, the overhanging spring arms 44 are so constructed that their ends 54 are inclined relative to the inclined contact portion 46 as Well as horizontal floor portion 48, assuming that the connector blade 16 is not inserted in the female connector 10. As indicated in FIG. 3, the ends 54 of the spring arms v44 are inclined relative to the horizontal floor portion 48 by an angle of beta degrees and, consequently,

are inclined relative to the inclined contact portion 46 by an angle of alpha degrees. Whereas the contact portion 46 is inclined rearwardly and upwardly relative to the iioor portion 48, the ends 54 of the arms 44 are inclined rearwardly and downwardly relative to the contact portion 46. Expressed in'another way, the ends 54 converge toward inclined portion 46 in the direction of entry of the connector blade 16 and, hence, as the connector blade 16 moves between the inclined Contact portion 46 land the overhanging spring arms 44, the right portions of the arms 44, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 5, are cammed upwardly by greater amounts than the left porJ tions of the arm 44,- thereby to apply a progressively' greater gripping force or clamping force at points on the upper surface 16b of the connector -blade 16 located progressively farther from the open end 15. l

As best shown in FIGS; 2,l 3 land 4, the leading edges 44a of the overhangingrspring arms 44 are initially iri-` clined upwardly andrearwardly and thereafter inwardly and downwardly. The rearwardmost part of the leading edges 44a are beveled, as indicated at 56, to facilitate insertion of the connector blade 16 into the female con-4 nector 18. In contrast to the leading edges 44a of the overhanging spring arms 44, the trailing edges 44k are perpendicularly oriented relative to the horizontaloor portion 48.

Although the overhanging spring arms 44 adequately grip and detachably hold the connector blade 16, for certain applications the male and female connectors 18 and 10 may be interlocked together by cooperative detentV means. In this connection, a generally circular opening `6i) may be defined in the blade 16 of the connector 18 equidistant its longitudinal sides and spaced rearwardly Y of its beveled leading edge 19, While a dimple 62, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, may be partially stamped out of the middle of the inclined contact portion 46. The

V dimple 62 is upraised `by approximately one-half of the thickness of the inclined iioor portion 46, yet is spaced from the ends 54 of the overhanging spring arms 44. The dimple 62 is so positioned relative to the floor 40 that it registers with the opening 68 of the connector blade 16 when the blade 16 mates with the connector 10'. As best seen in FIG. 5, the rear part 62a of the u-praised dimple 62 coacts with the front part 60a of the opening to maintain the male and female connectors 18 and 10 in assembled relation.

In order to detachably connect fthe male and female connectors 18 and 10, the connectors are axially aligned and, thereafter, moved toward one another. Although either connector can be moved toward the other, for the purpose of this description, it will be assumed that the male connector 18 is moved toward the female connector 10 which is suitably held stationary. Irrespective of the exact orientation of the male connector 18 relativeto the female connector 1t), the beveled leading edge 19 of the male connector 118 enters the open end 15 defined by the inclined contact portion 46 and the overhanging spring arms 44. Specifically, the beveled edge 19 abuts the inclined edges 56 of the overhanging arms 44 and' is guided between the converging ends 54 of the spring arms 44 and the inclined contacting portion 46.

As the connector blade 16 moves to the right, as seen in FIG. 5, toward its mating position, the upper surf-ace 16h of the connector blade 16 engages and cams upwardly the ends'54 of the overhanging spring arms 44. As the ends 54 are carnrned upwardly, the rear or right portion of the arms 44 move slightly toward one another. Whereas prior to mating of the connectors 10 and 18 the ends 54 are substantially equally spaced apart as seen in FIG. 4, the ends 54 converge slightly from the front to the rear of the connector 10 as seen in FIG. 6. Furthermore, incident to'the ends 54 being cammed upwardly,

` they move from the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein FIG. 5 wherein the ends 54 are parallel to the contact portion 46. Accordingly, a progressively greater gripping or clamping force is :applied to the connector blade 16 at points progressively farther located from the open end 15-as :a result of the increasingly greater deformation of the right portions of the overhanging spring arms 44.

In those connectors that embody no cooperative detent means, the connector blades can be inserted different amounts, depending upon the thickness of the blade. For example, a relatively narrow blade can be inserted farther into the connector than a relatively thick blade. It will be understood that even though the blades are inserted different amounts, the connector 10 can develop substantially the same retentive force. In any event, the gripping and retaining force developed by the overhanging spring arms 44 is adequate to hold and maintain the connectors 18 and 10 in assembled relation. In the event the insertion force applied to the connector 18 is of such magnitude that the blade passes the arms 44, the leading edge 19 of the blade engages the converging walls 42 and limits the insertion of the connector 18 in the connector 10. In those connectors which embody cooperative detent means, i.e., the opening 60 and cooperative dimple 62, the blade 16 is inserted until the rearward edge 62a and the forward edge 60a of the dimple and opening, respectively, coact, thereby to restrain withdrawal movement of the male connector 18.

From the foregoing discussion, it will be appreciated that a new and improved female connector has been developed that possesses superior gripping qualities. The connector is further characterized by having a high retentive power even though a low connective force is needed to mate the connector with a male connector.

While the embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications land improvements may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A connector adapted to be detachably secured to a blade type connector, said connector comprising a floor, a contact portion extending over substantially the entire width of said oor inclined upwardly away from the blade-receiving end of the connector, a pair of resilient overhanging spring members extending upwardly from the sides of the floor, the ends of the resilient members being inclined toward the inclined contact portion in the direction of entry of the blade type connector such that the resilient members are twisted incident to mating of the blade type connector with the connector whereby a progressively greater clamping force is applied to the blade type connector by the resilient members -at points on the blade type connector progressively farther removed from the blade-receiving end of the connector.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein corresponding points along the ends of said resilient members are equal-ly spaced from said inclined contact portion.

3. A connector adapted to be detachably secured to a blade type connector, said connector comprising ia floor, a connector-engaging portion extending over substantially the entire width of said floor for engaging a contact surface of said blade type connector, said portion being inclined relative to said floor and upwardly away from the blade receiving end of said connector, and overhanging spring arms at the opposed sides of the Hoor extending upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly so that their ends are located above and spaced from said connectorengaging portion for engaging another contact surface of said blade type connector, the ends of said overhanging spring arms extending in the direction of entry of said blade type connector, each end being inclined toward said connector-engaging portion in the direction of entry of said blade type connector such that a progressively greater clamping action is provided during mating of the blade type connector and said connector.

4. The combination of a blade type connector having opposed first and second contact surfaces and the connector of claim 3.

5. A connector adapted to be detachably secured to a blade type connector, said connector comprising a oor, a cont-act portion inclined upwardly away from the blade receiving end of the connector relative to said oor and extending over substantially its entire width for coacting with a first contact surface of said blade type connector, and a pair of overhanging spring arms at the opposed sides of the floor extending upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly to define ends located above and spaced from said contact portion, the ends being adapted to engage a second contact surface of said blade type connector and being progressively less spaced from said contact portion at points located more remotely from the blade receiving end of the connector such that a progressively greater clamping action is developed by the overhanging spring arms during mating of the blade type connector with the connector.

6. The combination of a blade type connector having opposed first and second contact surfaces and the connector of claim 5.

7. The connector of claim 5 wherein each of the spring arms is so constructed that the terminal portion o-f its end is substantially normal to the floor contact portion.

8. The combination of a blade type connector having opposed rst and second contact surfaces and -the connector of claimy 7.

9. A connector adapted to be detachably secured to a blade type connector, said connector comprising a floor, a contact portion elevated from tand inclined relative to said floor so as to extend upwardly in a direction away from theblade receiving end of the connector, said cont-act portion extending over substantially the entire width of the oor for coacting with a iirst contact surface of said blade type connector, and a pair of overhanging spring arms connected to opposed sides of the oor so as to extend upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly, said arms having ends inclined towardthe contact portion in a direction away from the blade receiving end of the connector for coacting with a second contact surface of said blade type connector, whereby incident to insertion of a blade type connector in said connector the portions of the ends of said spring arms remote from the blade receiving end of said connector are resiliently deformed together in a direction transverse to the direction of entry of said blade type connector.

10. The combination of a blade type connector having opposed rst and second contact surfaces and the connector of claim 9.

11. A connector adapted to be detachably secured `to a blade type connector, said connector comprising a floor connector-engaging portion for engaging a substantial portion of one surface of the blade type connector, and longitudinally extending spring members connected lto said door engaging portion so as to extend upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly so that their ends yare disposed above and spaced from the lloor engaging portion for the purpose of engaging another surface of said blade type connector, said ends of said spring members and oor engaging portion being relatively inclined toward one another in a direction away from the blade receiving end of said connector such that incident to insertion of the blade type connector into said connector the spring arms are deformed to provide a clamping force for detachably securing said connectors together.

12. The combination of a blade type connector having opposed rst and second contact surfaces and the connector of claim 11.

13. A connector adapted to be detachably secured to a blade type connector, said connector comprising a oor connector-engaging portion for engaging .a substantial portion of one surface of said blade type connector, and longitudinally extending spring members connectedV to said oor engaging portion so Ias to extend upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly `to define ends disposed above and spaced from the door engaging portion, said ends adapted to engage a second contact surface of the blade type connector, said ends of said spn'ng members and oor engaging portion being relatively inclined toward one another in a direction away from the blade receiving end of said connector, whereby the ends of said spring'members converge in the direction of entry of the blade type connector when the blade type connector is inserted into said connector. l

14; The'combination of a blade type connector having opposed first and second contact surfaces and 4the connector of claim 13.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

